Denver Broncos News Blogs - Sat. Nov. 12

Broncos Update Staff

11/12/2005

It's the most intense matchup of the season as the Denver Broncos take on division rival Oakland Raiders on Sunday. Read all about it in today's Broncos News Blogs.

Broncos' liability coverage waived - Lee Rasizer - Rocky Mountain NewsNov. 12, 2005 - Rod Smith in the off-season labeled last year's Denver Broncos special teams "horrible." And coach Mike Shanahan often was red-faced during training camp while watching the special teams, not solely from standing under the August sun.

Devoe will be with Broncos on Sunday - Jeff Legwold - Rocky Mountain NewsNov. 12, 2005 - Broncos wide receiver Todd Devoe asked that his family be given time to grieve and be "left alone" in the wake of his father's death.Devoe informed team officials Thursday that his father had been shot and killed in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., that morning. Devoe was excused from practice Thursday and had been expected to return to Florida.

Broncos scouting report, November 12 - Jeff Legwold - Rocky Mountain NewsNov. 12, 2005 - The Broncos were in the groove on the ground before they left for their bye week. If they return with any sort of rhythm, they should be able to move the ball on the Raiders. Denver does its best work in the middle of the field, which is where the Raiders had the most difficult time defending the Chiefs run game Sunday. Kansas City's Larry Johnson finished with 74 of his 107 rushing yards between the tackles.

War of Attrition - Pat Graham - Longmont Daily TImesNov. 12, 2005 - So this will be the battle of the hobbled. The best cover corner against the top receiver won't have as much luster as if both were healthy, but it will still be an intriguing pairing. "Moss is definitely one of the best in the game," said Bailey, who will face Moss for the first time in his career Sunday in Oakland. "It's going to be a challenge."

Broncos front line attacks in waves - David Bush - SF ChronicleNov. 12, 2005 - The Denver Broncos' defensive line that the Raiders will see on Sunday is considerably different than last year's. But before Oakland gets too accustomed to it, the identities will likely change again. The Broncos constantly shuffle eight men in and out on their four-man front line, and five of them, including three starters, are new to Denver this year.

Linemen finding new life in Denver - Mercury News - Steve Corkran
Sat, Nov. 12, 2005 - Few would have blamed the Cleveland Browns for hanging up when the Denver Broncos asked for defensive-line help during the off-season. After all, the Broncos dispatched the Browns in the AFC championship game three times in a four-year span in the 1980s. Maybe the Browns figured they were getting something for nothing when the Broncos traded for defensive tackles Gerard Warren and Michael Myers and defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban. Perhaps they just felt guilty about the Broncos signing former Browns defensive end Courtney Brown, a bust, to a free-agent deal. Well, the Broncos have gotten the better of the Browns again, and the Raiders will see it Sunday at McAfee Coliseum. The four Cleveland castoffs have started an average of six games each and turned a glaring weakness into an obvious strength.

No defending prevent defense - Sacramento Bee - Jim Jenkins
Saturday, November 12, 2005 - The problem with the so-called prevent defense - dropping nearly everyone in coverage with a minimal pass rush - is that too often the only thing it prevents is winning. John Madden, to drop just one respected NFL name and skeptic, is on record as believing that. And there are any number of others who agree. Nevertheless, at one time or another, the prevent, to give it a singular tag, has been used by almost everyone in the league. Good luck trying to get a coach to call it by that term, though, even if he used it and won.
The prevent defense is a topical subject because both Bay Area teams have resorted to it, or something awfully similar, this season - only to be burned.

Notebook: No Resentment for Ex-Raider Anderson - Pueblo Chieftan
Saturday, November 12, 2005 - Emotions run high when the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders play twice each year, and few people have the perspective of Broncos safety Marques Anderson, who has played for both teams.‘‘I'm excited, man, because it's going to be a good game,'' Anderson said. ‘‘It's a big rivalry and taken from my past, it is a special game.'' Originally a third-round draft choice of the Green Bay Packers, Anderson was traded to Oakland on Sept. 3, 2004. He was waived by the Raiders on Aug. 22 this year. One day later, he was claimed him off waivers by Denver. ‘‘I try not to hold animosity in my heart,'' Anderson said. ‘‘It was a concern, especially when it happened.''

At a Glance: Oakland Raiders - Denver Broncos.com - Jennifer Tavlian
Saturday, November 12, 2005 - It's Raiders Week. Despite the teams being at opposite ends of the standings in the AFC West, fans still get excited when the Broncos and Raiders collide. Denver will travel to Oakland with a 6-2 record and fresh off a bye week. The Broncos are 12-4 after a bye week and has posted a 4-1 record after the bye in the past five seasons. The Raiders, sitting at the bottom of the division with a 3-5 record, will try to shrug off last week's last-second loss to the Chiefs.

Notebook: No Resentment for Ex-Raider Anderson - Denver Broncos.com - Andrew Mason
Friday, November 11, 2005 - For Marques Anderson, there are no hard feelings towards the Oakland Raiders -- at least, not now, some two and a half months after they waived him. "I try not to hold animosity in my heart," Anderson said. "It was a concern, especially when it happened, but now it's kind of subsided a little bit and it's not as much. I wish it could have been handled a little differently, but it's all good." Anderson wasn't out of work long; the Broncos claimed him off waivers on Aug. 23 to provide safety depth after Chris Young and Brandon Browner were lost for the season due to preseason injuries. The fact that he made the team and has meshed well in the locker room has helped, even though he's still looking to see his first action on defense after playing six games on special teams.